This Christmas I have been thinking about Christmas songs more than ever. Largely, this is because at our church I have been preaching through Luke 1 in December. Luke 1 contains two songs—the song of Mary and the song of Zechariah. Some refer to these as the Magnificat and Benedictus based upon the first Latin word used in each song. Though the Scripture merely says Mary and Zechariah “said” these words, the poetic construction of the words have caused people through the ages to refer to them as songs.
Studying these two Christmas songs has caused me to consider how much songs are a part of the Christmas “Season”. Wikipedia states there are over 400 radio stations nationally that play Christmas music 24 hours a day during the month of December. Many stations find a spike in their market share of listeners by playing Christmas music. Obviously, they are seeking to leverage the Christmas music to gain new listeners. Of course, as people walk through malls and stores festive Christmas music is piped in—some stores doing so before Thanksgiving. Surely this is an attempt to get people into a “Christmas mood”, or more accurately a “shopping mood”, as soon as possible.
However, lest I become too cynical I know that God-centered Christmas music also is a tool of instruction about the incarnation and a means of stirring up greater praise to God. In fact, initially all Christmas music was for the purpose of worship to God and the incarnate Son. When Christmas became an official “holy-day” of the church, that is declared such by the Roman Catholic Church, there was music written to add to that celebration. The songs written then were chant, litanies and hymns, done in Latin of course. How curious to think how far we have come now with Christmas songs that are about snowmen, reindeer, Santa Claus and jingling bells. Hey listen, I’m not being a prude here. I enjoy singing about Rudolph or the Grinch like a lot of people. I just think it is stunning to consider the contrast of the lyrics found in many modern Christmas songs on the airwaves compared to the ones spoken by Mary and Zechariah. And I guess I actually feel a sadness in my soul to know that some people know nothing of the latter—they are so overrun with the silly songs about Christmas that they do not know even know the ones that herald the birth of Jesus. Which ones do our children and grandchildren know and sing? Which do we hum as we stroll along merrily in December?
These next two Sundays I am excited to share with First Baptist Church, Lake Wales those first Christmas songs—those expressed by Mary and Zechariah. Their themes are clear and powerful and draw attention to the mercy and salvation from the Lord. I hope if you are nearby you will join me for a look at them. Then also this weekend down by Lake Wales we will share some wonderful Christmas songs that also express wonder and worship over God made flesh! We will host Christmas by the Lake on Saturday and Sunday (12/18-19) evening at 6 PM near the basketball court and gazebo.
I hope this Christmas will continue to be full of wonderful Christ-exalting songs for you and your family. Sing them by the lake. Sing them in the church. Sing them on the city streets. Just sing them with rejoicing like Mary and Zechariah about the merciful God who has sent a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Singing to the Son of God!
Pastor Scott
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Great joy for ALL people?
And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people Luke 2:10 (ESV)
These words spoken by the heavenly messenger to the shepherds on the hillside somewhere near Bethlehem is familiar to many of us. If you’ve been any church for a Christmas or two or watched The Peanuts Christmas Special you have heard these words. But do we believe them?
Do we believe the message of the birth of Christ the Lord is good news? Or is it just more news, other news, some news to recall once a year? Is it really good news to you and if so why?
Good news of great joy…the angel announced. So does this good news fill you with great joy? Does it bring you not just some joy or a decent portion of joy but great joy? How great? Since his coming alters our eternal destiny maybe a joy as great as if your boss said you were getting a raise, your team won the championship, you hit a hole-in-one, he proposed or she said she’d marry you. Yeah, a reverberating, life-altering great joy! Not a whimsical, passing emotion but a deep abiding sense of rejoicing that salvation has come due to the birth of Jesus.
Yet I think the words we believe the least in the angel’s announcement are the last words in Luke 2:10. We may believe it is good news of great joy for us and some other people too, but for ALL people? Do you believe that? It is good news of great joy for people in North Korea, Tibet, Iran, and the Sudan? It is good news of great joy for your co-worker, your neighbor, your classmate, your Uncle Bill and sister Susan?
Christmas is a holiday widely acknowledged in our culture. International missionaries tell us every year that it gives them wonderful opportunities to share about the life and salvation Jesus offers. Those missionaries certainly believe it is good news of great joy for all the people. In fact, they are staking their lives on it (more on that next week.)!
Yet sadly the silence of many of us each Christmas season seems to indicate we really don’t believe it is good news of great joy for ALL people. If we really believed this would we not tell person after person we interact with over this holiday season that Jesus’ coming means they can have great joy in Him? Why do we pull back from telling our unbelieving relatives and friends? This message is for them. It means joy for them, right? So why are we so hesitant to share?
Okay, you say you believe it is good news of great joy, but you are just unsure of how to start a conversation. Gotcha! Then let me just give you a couple Christmas discussion starting questions. Ready? Ask either of these:
Do you think people understand the real meaning of Christmas anymore? Why or why not?
What difference does it make to you that Jesus was born?
Both of these questions allow you to listen to what they think about Christmas and the birth of Jesus? The first is for someone who may not know of Christ’s birth and life, whereas the second assumes they know that central event of the Christmas story. Then, both allow you to share of what Christmas and the birth of Jesus means to you personally. In other words, it allows you to share the testimony of how Jesus has brought you great joy through faith in Him.
Do you really believe the coming of Jesus is good news of great joy for ALL people? Then, will you and I boldly ask these questions this Christmas? Will we share of our great joy in Christ?
I am praying we will. And I am praying we will invite people to come to services at FBC this month and/or to Christmas by the Lake (Dec. 18 & 19 – 6 PM) using the tickets available this Sunday. Let’s use the Christmas season as a chance to tell ALL people the good news of great joy!
Sharing HIS joy!
Pastor Scott
These words spoken by the heavenly messenger to the shepherds on the hillside somewhere near Bethlehem is familiar to many of us. If you’ve been any church for a Christmas or two or watched The Peanuts Christmas Special you have heard these words. But do we believe them?
Do we believe the message of the birth of Christ the Lord is good news? Or is it just more news, other news, some news to recall once a year? Is it really good news to you and if so why?
Good news of great joy…the angel announced. So does this good news fill you with great joy? Does it bring you not just some joy or a decent portion of joy but great joy? How great? Since his coming alters our eternal destiny maybe a joy as great as if your boss said you were getting a raise, your team won the championship, you hit a hole-in-one, he proposed or she said she’d marry you. Yeah, a reverberating, life-altering great joy! Not a whimsical, passing emotion but a deep abiding sense of rejoicing that salvation has come due to the birth of Jesus.
Yet I think the words we believe the least in the angel’s announcement are the last words in Luke 2:10. We may believe it is good news of great joy for us and some other people too, but for ALL people? Do you believe that? It is good news of great joy for people in North Korea, Tibet, Iran, and the Sudan? It is good news of great joy for your co-worker, your neighbor, your classmate, your Uncle Bill and sister Susan?
Christmas is a holiday widely acknowledged in our culture. International missionaries tell us every year that it gives them wonderful opportunities to share about the life and salvation Jesus offers. Those missionaries certainly believe it is good news of great joy for all the people. In fact, they are staking their lives on it (more on that next week.)!
Yet sadly the silence of many of us each Christmas season seems to indicate we really don’t believe it is good news of great joy for ALL people. If we really believed this would we not tell person after person we interact with over this holiday season that Jesus’ coming means they can have great joy in Him? Why do we pull back from telling our unbelieving relatives and friends? This message is for them. It means joy for them, right? So why are we so hesitant to share?
Okay, you say you believe it is good news of great joy, but you are just unsure of how to start a conversation. Gotcha! Then let me just give you a couple Christmas discussion starting questions. Ready? Ask either of these:
Do you think people understand the real meaning of Christmas anymore? Why or why not?
What difference does it make to you that Jesus was born?
Both of these questions allow you to listen to what they think about Christmas and the birth of Jesus? The first is for someone who may not know of Christ’s birth and life, whereas the second assumes they know that central event of the Christmas story. Then, both allow you to share of what Christmas and the birth of Jesus means to you personally. In other words, it allows you to share the testimony of how Jesus has brought you great joy through faith in Him.
Do you really believe the coming of Jesus is good news of great joy for ALL people? Then, will you and I boldly ask these questions this Christmas? Will we share of our great joy in Christ?
I am praying we will. And I am praying we will invite people to come to services at FBC this month and/or to Christmas by the Lake (Dec. 18 & 19 – 6 PM) using the tickets available this Sunday. Let’s use the Christmas season as a chance to tell ALL people the good news of great joy!
Sharing HIS joy!
Pastor Scott
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